5AM ET 12/21/2025 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update – 5AM ET 12/21/2025 Newscast

Main Theme:
This episode delivers a rapid-fire roundup of major U.S. and global news headlines as of December 21, 2025, including American military retaliation against ISIS, controversy over renaming the Kennedy Center, U.S.-Russia peace talks, escalating U.S.-Venezuela tensions, economic outlook debates, the winter solstice, and a record-setting Powerball jackpot.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S. Military Strikes ISIS in Syria

• [00:03] Anchor Chris Dimaio opens with:
  • "American revenge. I'm Chris Dimaio, Fox News. The U.S. striking more than 70 ISIS targets in Syria."
• [00:11] Correspondent Madeleine Rivera reports on the background:
  • The strike fulfills the president’s pledge after an ISIS ambush in Palmyra killed two Iowa National Guard members—Sgt. Edgar Torres Tovar and Sgt. William Nate Howard—and their civilian interpreter, Ayad Mansoor Sakat.
  • Dignified transfer ceremony held at Dover Air Force Base, attended by the President and Secretary of War.
  • Quote: “Secretary of War Pete Hegseth says this is not the beginning of a war. It is a declaration of vengeance.” (Rivera, 00:37)
  • Jordan confirms its air force participated; no casualty figures disclosed yet.

2. Kennedy Center Renaming Controversy

• [00:45] Protests erupted in D.C. over renaming the Kennedy Center:
  • Group "Hands Off the Arts" opposes plans to rename it as the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
• [01:11] Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen at the protest:
  • Quote: “We've got a president who doesn't respect the arts. All he respects is cash from his donors and billionaire buddies. He's in office to enrich himself and his family and the billionaires who were standing behind him when he was sworn in on Inauguration Day.” (Van Hollen, 01:11)
  • The Trump-appointed board voted for the name change, though Democrats argue only Congress has authority to enact it.
  • President Trump says he was “honored and surprised” by the move.

3. U.S.-Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks

• [01:31] U.S. and Russian officials convene in Florida for discussions to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
  • Russia characterizes the talks as “constructive.”
  • Brief report, no detailed outcomes disclosed.

4. South Africa Mass Shooting

• [01:44] Brief international news flash:
  • Nine people reported dead in a Johannesburg shooting.

5. U.S. Escalates Pressure on Venezuela

• [03:04] U.S. seizes second oil tanker amid tightening sanctions:
  • The U.S. Coast Guard and military seize a tanker, Venezuela claims it was private; accuses the U.S. of “theft and kidnapping.”
  • President Trump orders “total and complete blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers; designates Maduro’s government as a “foreign terrorist organization.”
  • Land strikes against Venezuelan drug operations are reportedly being considered.

6. U.S. Economic Outlook Debate

• [03:40] Fox poll: Majority of voters view the economy negatively.
  • Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) urges “patience” in an interview:
    • Quote: “We have the largest economy in the world and he's turning it as hard as he can. But it still takes a mile to turn around the aircraft carrier and we're going to get there and no one could do it faster than President Trump.” (Mullin, 03:53)
  • Democrats blame rising prices on tariffs imposed by Trump.

7. Winter Solstice

• [04:12] Science segment with Chris Foster:
  • Today is the winter solstice—the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere.
  • Examples of daylight hours: Miami (10.5), Salt Lake City (9), Seattle (8), Fairbanks (3.5), Arctic Circle (0).
  • Quote: “Solstice in Latin essentially means sun standing still before the process reverses and days start getting longer.” (Foster, 04:32)

8. Powerball Lottery Update

• [04:39] No winner in last night’s drawing:
  • Jackpot increases to $1.6 billion with a $735.3 million cash prize—now the fifth largest in U.S. history.
  • Next drawing set for Monday evening.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “This is not the beginning of a war. It is a declaration of vengeance.”
  — Secretary of War Pete Hegseth via Madeleine Rivera ([00:37])
• “We've got a president who doesn't respect the arts. All he respects is cash from his donors and billionaire buddies.”
  — Senator Chris Van Hollen ([01:11])
• “We have the largest economy in the world and he's turning it as hard as he can. But it still takes a mile to turn around the aircraft carrier…”
  — Senator Markwayne Mullin ([03:53])
• “Solstice in Latin essentially means sun standing still before the process reverses and days start getting longer.”
  — Chris Foster ([04:32])

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:03 – U.S. strikes ISIS in Syria
• 00:45 – Kennedy Center protest and renaming debate
• 01:31 – U.S.-Russia-Ukraine peace talks
• 01:44 – South Africa shooting report
• 03:04 – U.S.-Venezuela oil tanker seizures/blockade
• 03:40 – Economic outlook, Senator Mullin’s interview
• 04:12 – Winter solstice explained
• 04:39 – Powerball jackpot update

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Tone:
Straightforward and direct, the episode emphasizes facts with brief commentary and pointed soundbites from newsmakers and officials, in keeping with Fox News Radio’s fast-paced and assertive style.

Transcript

[A]

American revenge. I'm Chris Dimaio, Fox News. The U.S. striking more than 70 ISIS targets in Syria. Fox's Madeleine Rivera has more from D.C.

[B]

The president following through on a pledge to strike the terrorist group after the ambush attack on service members in Palmyra. The two Iowa National Guard members, 25 year old Sergeant Edgar Torres Tovar of Des Moines and 29 year old Sergeant William Nate Howard of Marshalltown and their civilian interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat of Michigan, returned home in dignified transfer Wednesday at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware where they were met by the president of Operation Hawkeye Strikes. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth says this is not the beginning of a war. It is a declaration of vengeance.

[A]

The US Military didn't say how many people have been killed, how many ISIS people have been killed in Friday's strikes. Jordan confirmed that its air force took part in the attacks. Well, the protest yesterday outside the Kennedy arts Center in D.C. a group opposing government censorship, hands off the Arts, is upset over plans to rename the building the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy center for the Performing Arts. Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen, one of the demonstrators.

[C]

We've got a lot of work to do. We've got a president who doesn't respect the arts. All he respects is cash from his donors and billionaire buddies. He's in office to enrich himself and his family and the billionaires who were standing behind him when he was sworn in on Inauguration Day.

[A]

The Trump appointed board of trustees voted on Thursday to add Trump to the art center's name. Democrats say only Congress can make that change. The president says he was honored and surprised by the move. U.S. and Russian officials meet in Florida for talks on a peace plan to end the war between Russia and Ukraine on Saturday. Russia says the talks were constructive and nine people reported dead in a shooting in Johannesburg, South Africa. America's listening to FOX News.

[D]

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[A]

SimpliSafe. US military activity around Venezuela is ramping.

[E]

Up. The US is putting new pressure on Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro after the US Coast Guard and military seized a second oil tanker in international waters. Venezuela's government claims it was a private ship and calls the US Actions theft and kidnapping. This latest seizure comes days after President Trump ordered a total and complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. The President has also designated the Maduro led government a foreign terrorist organization. President Trump is also weighing carrying out land strikes against drug operations inside.

[A]

Venezuela. Fox's Shanley Painter A recent Fox poll indicates that the majority of voters view current economic conditions negatively. But Republican Senator Mark Wayne Mullen, appearing on Fox's My View with Lara Trump, is urging.

[C]

Patience. We have the largest economy in the world and he's turning it as hard as he can. But it still takes a mile to turn around the aircraft carrier and we're going to get there and no one could do it faster than President.

[A]

Trump. Democrats say prices have risen because of tariffs the President has imposed on imports. Well, today is the first day of.

[F]

Winter. It's the darkest day of the year for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere when we're tilted the furthest away from the sun. How much sunlight you get depends on how far you are from the equator. About ten and a half hours in Miami, for example. Nine in Salt Lake City, eight in Seattle, three and a half in Fairbanks, Alaska. None at the Arctic Circle. Solstice in Latin essentially means sun standing still before the process reverses and days start getting longer. In the Southern Hemisphere, it's the first day of summer with the most daylight of the year. Chris Foster, Fox.

[A]

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[E]

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[A]

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[F]

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